Recipe: Queen of Sheba Meatloaf

Queen of Sheba Meatloaf

2 tbsp virgin olive oil
3 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh italian parsley
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 1/2 lb lean ground lamb
1 lb ground hot sausage, casing removed
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup dry vermouth
3/4 cup dry bulgur wheat, soaked for 30 minutes in water to cover
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup pistachios
3 tbs bay leaves, split in half

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a Bundt pan with olive oil.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and onions. Saute until the onions are transluscent, about 3 minutes. Add the parsley and fennel seeds.

Remove half the onion mixture and combine with the ground lamb in a large bowl. Set aside the other half of the onion mixture.

Add the ground sausage to the saute pan, and brown. Add the lime juice and vermouth. Remove from the heat. Add this mixture to the reserved onion mixture. Set aside.

Squeeze the excess water from the bulur wheat. Mix with the lamb. Add the eggs, ketchup, sesame oil, mint, allspice, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.

Divide this mixture in half. Press half the lamb mixture into the pan. Arrange the sausage mixture on top of the lamb. Sprinkle the pine nuts and pistachios evenly over the sausage layer.

Press the other half of the lamb mixture on top of the nut layer. Dot the loaf with the remaining tablespoon of butter and place the broken bay leaves on top of the loaf.

Bake for 1 hour or until done. Remove the bay leaves. Let the loaf sit for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a round serving platter.

Serves 8-10
Source: Mike Orchekowski